South African International Exhibition | |
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Overview | |
BIE-class | Unrecognized exposition |
Name | South African International Exhibition |
Participant(s) | |
Countries | 14 |
Location | |
Country | Cape Colony |
City | Cape Town, Cape Colony |
Coordinates | 33°55′42″S 18°25′07″E / 33.9282485°S 18.41851°E |
Timeline | |
Opening | 15 February 1877 |
Closure | 17 November 1877 |
The South African International Exhibition held in Cape Town, Cape Colony was a world's fair held in 1877 [1] which opened on 15 February [2] [3] by Henry Bartle Frere.
The exhibition was held in the grounds of the Lodge de Goede Hoop which was being used for the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope [4] in a building erected for the exhibition. [5] The building was built of wood, iron, and glass which measured 184 x 78 feet; 56 feet high; and cost £10,027.[ citation needed]
During 1876 Signor Cagli had canvassed American and European industries to exhibit “manufactures of all kinds” [4] which were to be grouped in 10 classes: " alimentation", chemicals (perfume, medicine and surgical equipment), furniture, fabric and jewellery, transport, hardware, machinery, agriculture, science and education, and miscellany. [5]
Exhibitors included Wertheim safes; [6] Taylor's sewing machines, who won a medal; [7] Sheffield based Samuel Marshall who showed hooks, hay knives, scythes and sheep shears [8] and linen manufacturers Rylands & Sons who won a prize (and another a year later at the Paris exhibition). [9]
There were 395 exhibitors from 14 nations:
After the exhibition, the main building was used as an assembly hall and a theatre, known as the Exhibition Theatre. In the afternoon of 21 February 1892, carpenters and scenery painters were preparing for a new play when a fire broke out about 3:30, near the theatre entrance. In less than one hour, the entire building was destroyed along with the adjoining Masonic Lodge and Native Affairs Office. [10]
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